The One with the Thank Yous.
I spent two full days in early January planning a nine week road trip for Adam and I around the South Western corner of the US.
I’d planned for us to visit National Parks in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. The trip included rustic stays in a yurt village, a more glamorous few nights in a tiny house, and even a few really fancy nights on a high-desert resort.
But as questions about international travel bubbled up in early March and then the reality of April arrived, it became clear that our once active travel schedule would be grinding to a halt in 2020.
"Camp Covid", at least the part of Level 4 Lockdown that meant staying home and slowing down was really good for Adam and I. Along with cooking for ourselves and reading more we got to take a lot of long walks in our beautiful country village - lots of slow, simple pleasures.
On one of these walks Adam bought up a favourite daydream of mine: that we've sold our digital businesses, slowed travel to a pace that means we can responsibly care for a dog, and we've opened a bookshop in Greytown.
As I pondered whether Walt was still a good name for a bookshop alsatian, Adam urged me to consider whether this might just be the time to make the daydream a reality. This is one of the greatest qualities of my husband's personality - that now might not be the perfect time, but now is almost always the right time to do the things you want to do with your life.
So, in a whirlwind three months we used the time we'd otherwise be travelling to create my dream bookshop.
Even in a "normal" year, the idea of completing a project like this in such a short timeframe is a stretch, but add this year's limitations of available building materials and the demands for tradespeople on domestic projects and it makes me even more grateful to all of these people who helped me pull it of:
James & Susie at Mackit Architecture for listening carefully and bringing all my daydreams to life so thoughtfully.
Paul, Jordan and Aaron at Cube Design for my logo and brand. And for introducing me to my future husband 16 years ago!
Frank & his team at RMS Shopfitters for their extraordinary job on my joinery. It was all built in Christchurch and took a road trip to Greytown. Frank and his team came and installed it over what was probably the five worst weather days of 2020!
Leith and Pat at L & P Builders for responding so quickly and efficiently to my building projects large and small.
Russell, Matt, Blair and TK at McKenzies Electrical for installing all my lights as well as Tara at Lightplan for the design.
Kurt & team at Best Blokes Decorating for all my interior painting and Nigel and team at Country Mile Painting for our fresh exterior.
AJ, Tobias, Louise, Mike and the team at Lamb Peters Print for my interior signage and Mrs Blackwell's branded stationery.
Graham & Wendy at Marks Signs and Peter at Wairarapa Gates for our Victorian-inspired signage.
Jamie & Asher at Flair Flooring Xtra for our new floor.
Dirk at D-Man Industries for our new chocolate brown door.
Morgan at 2K Design for our creative fireplace surround.
Wendy and the team at The Heat Shop Masterton for our New Zealand made Wagener fireplace.
Laurence at LT Glass for my new front window.
Shelley at The Design Library for taking my ideas and finding me the perfect central tables.
Keri at RAM Hardware for working out our ladder and rail system that travels around corners.
My landlady Lucy for supporting the vision for what the shop could be and being so relaxed about all the changes to her building.
My sister-in-law Lois for the hours and hours of data entry, stickering and arranging to get the shop looking as fantastic as it does today.
And because I've written this in lieu of making a speech on opening night I'd like you to imagine we've reached the crescendo that these types of speeches always have, where I pause before thanking the most important figure:
Thank you to my husband Adam. Without him many of the best moments in my life would not exist, but without his literal and figurative support these last three months we would not be celebrating the opening of Mrs Blackwell's Village Bookshop. Sorry ladies, you can't have him.
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Background to this post: I've been blessed with a very soft voice and in a crowded room with no microphone it isn’t possible for me to make a very adequate formal address. So I have taken time to put my thoughts into words and wanted to publicly thank everyone who made the shop possible.
